Iditarod Legends

Joe Redington, Sr. (Father of Iditarod)

Reprinted from 1974 Iditarod Annual, by Dorthory G. Page. Revised July 2000

Joe Redington, Sr. arrived in Knik, Alaska, on June 2, 1948, with $18 in his pocket and high hopes in his heart. He’d left his home in Pennsylvania in May and had driven over the still primitive Alcan Highway seeking a new home in the far north.

Fate stepped in just after he’d crossed the Alaskan border, too. Someone gave Joe a sled dog pup. Perhaps it was a sign that he would launch a new career in Alaska dealing with raising sled dogs, racing, and promoting racing. A 'career' that would make him famous throughout Alaska and in many of the smaller states.

Redington headed for Knik to check on homestead land. Soon after he arrived in the scenic spot overlooking Knik Arm of Cook Inlet, he chose his land and filed on a homestead. The filing fee was $13. All Joe had left now was $5 and his new sled dog friend.

On his second day, Joe shot a black bear for meat. Also, three old-timers, Heinie Snider, Fred Hurd, and Jay Lavan, brought him 100 pounds of potatoes and a sack of canned goods. It was their idea of a welcome and extending a helping hand to a new Alaskan. Joe never forgot their kindness. In turn, he’s helped others.

Along with his “gift” groceries, Joe charged other groceries at Teeland’s Country Store in Wasilla until he could get his feet on the ground. But he was well on his way to being an Alaskan.

Soon, Joe had his homestead cabin built and had acquired more sled dogs. He started “Knik Kennels” in 1948 and it’s still going strong in 1973. (1996 also) By his second year in Alaska, he had over 40 dogs. It appeared even then that dogs would be big in his future. Perhaps because of his early upbringing, Joe took naturally to raising sled dogs.

Redington had been born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma at the end of World War I. He lived in Oklahoma with his father and brother until he was six years old. His father was a farmer, rancher, and an oil field worker, among other things.

At the age of 10, Joe, his Dad and brother joined a group of Irish gypsies traveling throughout the central part of the United States. They remained with them for two years and Joe says, “It was the best education a young boy could have, it taught me a lot about people.”

In 1930, the Redingtons moved to Jersey City, N.J., for a year or so, but didn’t like the city life. They later moved to Kintersville, Pennsylvania, where they settled on a farm. It was in Kintersville that Joe first met Violet — who was to become his wife many years later.

In 1940, Joe enlisted in the U.S. Army. He joined the 6th Field Artillery — the horse artillery — at Fort Hoyle, Maryland.

During World War II, Joe was transferred to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and joined the Infantry and Field Artillery Jump School. After he completed his training, he was assigned to the Pacific Theater and was part of General McArthur’s Special Assault Troops. He met and knew Ernie Pyle — the famous war correspondent who was killed at le Shima during battle.

Joe returned to Okinawa on December 6, 1945, and was discharged at Fort Dix, N.J., after almost six years in service. He went back to Kintersville, Penna., and began preparing for a trip to Alaska. He sold Jeeps and farm machinery to help raise money for the trip.

Joe’s army background helped him get his first “big” job in Alaska. He obtained a special job with the U.S. Air Force, 5039th Maintenance and Supply Group — commonly known as Rescue and Reclamation — whose main concern was the recovery of wrecked aircraft and the rescue of service personnel; or the bringing out of their remains.

From 1949 to 1957, Joe and his dog teams brought out millions of dollars of aircraft and hundreds of U.S. servicemen from the mountains. The only part that Joe didn’t like was the recovery of dead fliers.

One bad crash Joe recalled happened in the spring of 1955 when a Navy Neptune bomber crashed into Mt. Susitna across Cook Inlet from Anchorage, killing all of its 11 man crew. Three separate attempts were made to bring out the remains, but the first two were foiled by bad weather. Finally, in May, after 42 days of rigorous work locating the scattered bodies, some covered in 12 foot of snow, the job was completed.

Unable to destroy the Neptune because of the deep snow, the reclamation crew returned that summer and finished the job.

During rescue work, Joe used teams of as many as 20 or 30 big huskies. Most of the dog weighed between 75 and 100 pounds and could go all day at a steady trot pulling sled and freight.

Redington also mushed his dog teams to remote sites along the Dew Line in the Arctic. The use of high powered helicopters for rescue and reclamation eventually put an end to the need for dog teams and Joe’s work with the army ended.

On February 18, 1953, Joe and Vi were married in Wasilla by the U.S. Commissioner, May Carter, who later served as postmaster in Wasilla for many years.

The Redingtons moved to Flat Horn Lake along the old Iditarod Trail, and established a new homestead and guiding service. For the first two years, they lived in a tent until their log home was built. It ended up being 70 feet long.

By this time, Joe had his big game guiding license and his pilot’s license and was busy building up a new business. But he still used the dog teams. His kennel now housed 270 dogs. Everything Joe needed for building and all supplies had been hauled into Flat Horn by dog team.

Only after he accepted the job of promoting a $25,000 centennial year spectacular sled dog race, did Joe and Vi Redington return to Knik as it was easier to work from there. Promoting the race became a full time job.

The 1967 race was named in honor of Leonhard Seppala and was called the Iditarod Trail Seppala Memorial Race.

To raise funds for the race, Joe and Vi donated an acre of land at Flat Horn Lake to the cause. The land was sub-divided into lots one foot square. Along with the deed to the lot, the buyer also got a “Certificate of Ownership” — or as Redington once remarked — “about two dollars worth of paper!,” because it didn’t cost a lot to subdivide the acre.

So the race was on and with it, the Iditarod Trail Committee was hard at work putting in the trail, raising money, and promoting the race. So began what has become a world class sporting event, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, truly the Last Great Race on Earth.

In 1997, Joe Redington, Sr. took part in the 25 Anniversary Iditarod Race after celebrating his 80th birthday. The race was dedicated to this great sled dog racing pioneer. He is the only musher to have been given the first position to leave the chute without drawing, as well as to wear the #1 bib.¹

Joe Redington, Sr. died in June of 1999 of cancer. He was buried in Wasilla in his favorite dogsled in a specially made vault. This was by Joe’s wishes.

Joe Redington Memorial

At 1 pm on February 1st, 2003 at the Iditarod headquarters in Wasilla, Vi Redington unveiled the life-size bronze statue to commemorate her late husband and Father of the Iditarod, Joe Redington Sr. The Friends of Joe Redington Sr. raised $35,000 in the past 9 months to make this statue a reality. Everyone in attendance agrees the artist, Joan Bugbee Jackson of Cordova, did and outstanding job of capturing Joe’s likeness. The detail she put into the work, especially the Iditarod patches on his parka are “just exquisite,” said Iditarod Trail Committee director, Stan Hooley.

Togo (The Real Story)

Togo was rather a small dog, but he had a huge heart.

Togo was owned by Leonhard Seppala and was famous on the sled dog racing circuit. He was 12 years old when he lead Seppala’s team in the 1925 Serum Run. Balto became famous during that race because he was the lead dog on the team that mushed into Nome. However, Togo lead his team over more miles of the trail than any other leader and team. Shortly before his death, Togo finally got his recognition at Madison Square Garden in New York City in front of 20,000 spectators. Togo died in Maine in 1929 at the age of 16.²

¹The number one position is an honorary position. Normally the actual musher bibs start with #2.
²Source of Facts: The Great Serum Race by Debbie S. Miller with illustrations by Jon Van Zyle.